my $dash = '-'; my ( $prefix, $suffix, @range, ); my $format = "%s%d%s%d"; my $args = '$prefix, $range[0], $dash, $range[1],'; #changed $prefix = "stuff"; $range[0] = 2; $range[1] = 10; my $new_name = sprintf "$format", eval "$args"; #changed print "NEWNAME -> $new_name\n";